Film: Turn Me On, Dammit!

Turn Me On, Dammit!' film review by Kate Olsson

Note: The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of RetoxMagazine.com

Turn Me On, Dammit!

Dir: Jannicke Systad Jacobsen

East End Film Festival, July 8th RichMix

In Skoddeheimen, Norway, 15-year-old Alma (Helene Bergsholm) is consumed by her raging hormones and sensual fantasies. Yearning for Artur, the boyfriend of her dreams, Alma is launched into a foray of sexualized daydreams upon practically everyone she sets her eyes upon.

A classic story of teenage angst, growing pains and general coming-of-age, this film is an innocent and truthful insight into the sometimes painfully awkward truths about social misfits. This film brings us the female insight, a side we’re not often enough presented. A subtle reminder - girls are horny too! Based on the novel by Olaug Nilssen, director Jannicke Systad Jacobsen presents a beautifully dry comic, and sexually awkward adaptation.

Bergsholm is an immediately likable leading female, utterly natural and an absolutely fearless star. This was Begsholm’s first foray into acting, landing the role for the naturally expressive nature of her face, allowing the audience to read immediately her emotion without even uttering a word, and this certainly rang true. Stuck in an unbearably boring town, Alma is quickly outcast after an awkward encounter with Artur (Matias Myren) at a party, mistakenly detailing to her friends the circumstances, only for them to further ostracize her. At home, Alma lives with her single mother, who becomes increasingly more embarrassed as her daughter practices round-the-clock acts of self-gratification, and in turn discovers innumerous phone calls to a sexline.

The setting was beautiful, but to Alma, it’s vast and painfully dull; winding ‘boring’ empty roads, ‘stupid’ sheep and ‘stupid’ hay. A constant damp dreariness, which fell over the town was captured perfectly, reflecting Alma’s yearning to a life away in Oslo.

This film was great portrayal of teenage sexual and social exploration and the awkwardness and confusion, which comes with it. Alma fills her void of hatred for her town buy the escapism of sex and fantasy, a topic often explored in film, but not often enough from a female perspective. This film was witty, spunky and cute. Its rawness and relateability transcends the language barrier, showing that actions do often speak louder than words.

Q&A with Helene Bergsholm:

Bergsholm is as intriguing in person as she is as when she embodies Alma. The ice-blonde actress discussed with the audience how she accidently fell into this role after accompanying a friend to the audition. A confronting sexualized genre for a novice 17 year old to work with for their first film, Bergsholm said that whilst somewhat daunting, everyone was encouraging and welcoming; allowing her to assist in developing her character into a ‘believable’ and ‘real’ 15 year old girl the audience could relate too.

Bergsholm even hinted to being given the final choice of the leading male to play the part of Artur… ‘she (director Jannicke Systad Jacobsen) said I could choose the prettiest one…’